A review by cjc
Little Fires Everywhere, by Celeste Ng

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I went into this book looking for a relatively easy read and, other than that, I didn’t expect much. I was more than pleasantly surprised when I finished the novel in about a day, utterly captivated by the twisting, reminiscent of a car wreck (as in I couldn’t look away) story. At times I found some of the characters obnoxious and their dialogue just too plastic, but overall I felt immersed in the lives of the characters. As a man, I cannot directly relate to the themes of motherhood, but that is not too say I didn’t take anything from the novel. Ng encourages the reader to question where one’s roots lie and the  permanence of one’s character. I found the actual plot of the novel very captivating and the mess of struggles possessed within the novel found a way outside the page and strongly resonated with me. I don’t particularly like any of the characters wholeheartedly, but I do appreciate them - as I do Ng’s work.
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